Why does this lady have a fly on her head? | 'Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family'

Francesca Whitlum-Cooper, The Myojin-Nadar Associate Curator of Paintings 1600–1800, investigates this portrait's unusual addition.

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The National Gallery houses the national collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum is free of charge and open 361 days per year, daily between 10.00 am - 6.00 pm and on Fridays between 10.00 am - 9.00 pm.
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[Marinaviatkina]

A fly in a picture is usually either a joke (a type of trompe l'oeil to trick the viewer, just as mentioned in the video), or an indication that the sitter has already passed away and it is a remebrance piece. Every details matters in old master art, so, in connection with the forget-me-nots in her hand here, it may well be a post-humous portrait.

[JoeGriffinsr]

I based a college thesis on this painting 40 years ago and am enlightened to see others share some of the same conclusions. Before the Age of the Internet, it was not the prevailing theory. You too can also solve the riddle. The answer is a few lines below.

Consider the state of her lips, is it a smile or a smirk?
The bottom ring on her right hand which the artist has made most prominent, is a puzzle piece.
The Forget Me Not flower implies just that.
Look carefully at her hands and fingernails.




Answer: She is dead.

By my fading memory of a Thesis 40 years ago -
From her name, attire, and the garnet stone on her ring, we can surmise that she was an Ashkenazi Jew of the Hofner financial family, age - mid to late thirties and born in the month of January sometime in the 13th Century. Pinky rings symbolized nobility at the time and titles were sometimes granted to bankers, presumably and especially some members of the Hofner family who greatly financed the formation of early Germany. Having three titles, she would have had considerable wealth, social connections and influence, and likely commissioned the painting herself while nearing death.

[Checobeep]

It is a memento mori. The flowers are Forget-me-not which held a strong symbolism in Northern Europe and indeed elsewhere as a flower of both love and mourning. Flies swarm around dead things, a connection which nobody in the period would fail to make. Northern European painting, particularly Netherlandish and by extension German painting is heavy on symbolism. The fly lands on the beautiful chaperon or caul to remind the viewer that here, too, death will come to mar the beauty and undermine the pride in earthly things. Or something.

[langolier]

I’m normally not that impressed with very old paintings but wow I’ve got to say I’m pretty impressed by this one you made it real for me

[lpanayi]

Also, the fly is somewhat too large to be IN the painting- compared to the woman- but it's the correct size to look as if it's ON the painting.

[artforartssake]

commissioned by her father after her early death to forget her not. The fly represents decay but also the fleeting moment it rests on her headdress reflects our fleeting lives

[ericabassi]

I'm surprised you didn't also mention that she is resting her hand on the picture frame. Thats more interesting to me than the fly.

[Greyseabee]

I love her enthusiasm the way she described the details it’s just wonderful to see someone so passionate about her work preserving and sharing history with all of us

[lizvillegas]

What a fascinating subject and what an engaging speaker! In just a few minutes she managed to share such an appreciation for all the tiny details in the painting, and the context. Glad I stumbled upon this.

[seir]

I love the amount of mirth our guide to this portrait has in describing this clever joke on the viewer. I originally thought it was a memeto-mori kind of thing, either a commentary from the artist, or the sitter/commissioner to show themselves as humble. BUT! The thing that sticks out to me is that the fly isn't drawn to the scale of the sitter- it's drawn to the scale of us, the viewer, and the painting as an object! The shadows it casts are also like on the flat surface of the painting, and not her headdress. This definitely is some great trompe l'oeil, hadn't even thought of how it could be bragging rights of the artist, or of the family having it in their home, that they could have a painting done with such skill and realism.

I like to think it was a cheeky joke that they knew was doing double-duty, and would age well - while alive, she could delight in having people fret, thinking there was a fly there, while also encouraging them to marvel at the realism, and once she died, it would serve as a memorial for this moment captured in time.

[oxford]

I saw this painting in person. All I know is that the fly made me smile.

[RoySATX]

Whether the painting was commissioned as a remembrance of her or by her, the result is a success. I won't soon forget her.

[aaaaaaaaaaaa]

Very well narated, felt like going back 20 years and being a student once again. Thank you.

[kategleason]

I saw this when I visited the gallery 45 years ago. It blew me away. I'm so happy to find this video!

[neilmackenzie]

I was once in the national gallery and walked into a room and saw an elderly gentleman looking into the room through a small window. My mistake, it was a portrait of a Dutch gentleman by Rembrandt. I was fooled momentarily by the excellent wet reflection that the artist had painted in the gentleman's eyes.

[ValeriePallaoro]

I clicked on it thinking it was going to be a lecture on death and mortality. Not so; we get a story of artist as rock god, artist at the top of his game, artist in charge, artist of eminence, artist so expensive and understood, he gets to play a joke on the viewer and the portrait owners friends and family. And the sitter just loves that he does that. What a brilliant explanation. Well curated and well understood. This changes everything. Very smartly done. Much appreciated.

[sherrymorris]

Oh to be gifted in this way! To be able to capture everything that is in this painting would be incredible. Too, the fly draws attention to the painting. It does not escape anybody who enters the room.

[bjfitzpatrick]

I believe the artist to be Albrecht Durer. It bears a strong resemblance to his portrait of Barbara Durer. which was his mother. Her maiden name was Holfer. As mentioned prior in this thread, the fly and Forget-Me--Nots would point to a rememberance painting of his mother.

[Ponyboy_Curtis]

That was amazing! I can’t say I understand visual art very much, but I feel learned so much.

[teresanferreira]

So grateful to the National Gallery for these on line art " lessons".Thank you so much!